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Geriatrics

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The rising number of geriatric patients with complex, chronic, and often multiple health conditions presents numerous policy challenges. RAND has conducted the most comprehensive examination of the quality of medical care provided to the vulnerable elderly and coordinates interdisciplinary research centers to develop and study innovative clinical and health services interventions to improve health care outcomes for geriatric patients.

RAND developed and tested quality indicators, creating a comprehensive assessment system to help inform both health care providers and consumers about improving quality of care for the vulnerable elderly.

Annual costs of dementia exceed those of cancer and heart disease and will only continue to rise as the nation's population ages. Key policy options can help strengthen and improve long-term services and supports for those with dementia and their caregivers.

The wording of items and response options in two commonly used measures of depression and physical functioning in older adults were found to exceed the U.S. recommended readability threshold for vulnerable populations.

This analysis found that using Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) information in national surveys can yield reliable estimates of the prevalence of activity limitation among geriatric populations.

The purpose of this article is to review contemporary theoretical and conceptual perspectives on aging well and describe indicators of aging well that reflect key concepts and perspectives as assessed in the Women's Health Initiative.

To examine whether Veteran status influences (a) women's survival to age 80 years without disease and disability and (b) indicators of successful, effective, and optimal aging at ages 80 years and older.

Age-related differences in sensory functioning, processing speed, and working memory have been identified as three significant predictors of the age-related performance decline observed in complex cognitive tasks.

A Medicare patient who receives a comprehensive health assessment at home is less likely to be hospitalized or admitted to a nursing home over the next year. Such a program results in patients seeing doctors more often, but is likely to reduce costs by trimming the amount of care provided in the most costly settings.

This study examines whether the health and functioning of middle-aged and older adults are associated with an increased likelihood of community-based moves (changing their place of residence, but not to an institutional setting).

As heart arrhythmia atrial fibrillation (AF) is becoming more prevalent, we explored current and future landscapes for AF-related stroke prevention. Key areas for the future include public awareness and patient education.

As heart arrhythmia atrial fibrillation (AF) is becoming more prevalent, we explored current and future landscapes for AF-related stroke prevention. Key areas for the future include education of medical staff and engagement across health services.

As heart arrhythmia atrial fibrillation (AF) is becoming more prevalent, we explored the current landscape for AF-related stroke prevention. These annexes contain study methods and detailed results used in developing recommendations for the future.

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Researcher Spotlight

Associate Director, RAND Center for the Study of Aging

Susann Rohwedder is a senior economist at the RAND Corporation, associate director of the RAND Center for the Study of Aging, and a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty. Her research focuses on the economics of aging in the areas of household consumption and saving behavior,…

Adjunct Natural Scientist

David A. Ganz is an adjunct natural scientist at the RAND Corporation. He is also a staff physician at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a practicing internist and geriatrician. His research…

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